Explosion at Japanese Nuclear Facility

MEDIA ADVISORY

CONTACTO:

Tom Clements, 803-834-3084 or 803-240-7268, [email protected]

Nick Berning, 703-587-4454, [email protected]

Damon Moglen, 202-352-4223, [email protected]

EXPLOSION AT JAPANESE REACTOR FACILITY AND RADIATION LEAK OF UNSPECIFIED PROPORTIONS LEAD TO MOST SERIOUS NUCLEAR CRISIS SINCE CHERNOBYL

 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — An explosion took place today at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility in Japan, increasing the danger of a significant radiation release from one or more of the reactors there, and raising the potential even of a meltdown.
 
Friends of the Earth U.S. experts continue to monitor these alarming developments. There are 35 boiling water reactors (the type of reactor involved in the emergency in Japan) in the United States.
 
“Our hearts go out to the people of Japan. There is a danger that if the containment is lost, and if there is a breach of the reactor, we could see a massive radiation release — that is the worst-case scenario. It is crucial that officials are transparent and provide all available information to the public,” said Damon Moglen, a nuclear expert and director of the climate and energy project at Friends of the Earth.
 
Friends of the Earth’s experts are in touch with Japanese activists and can speak to the potential outcomes of the nuclear emergency in Japan as well as the extent to which reactors in the U.S. face similar risks. They are available to brief members of the media.

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RESOURCES FOR JOURNALISTS:
 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission: There are 35 boiling water reactors in the United States: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/power.html
 
List of all U.S. reactors: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/list-power-reactor-units.html
 
Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter yesterday to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, asking for clarification about how earthquakes can impact Japanese and U.S. nuclear facilities.  His asks about the vulnerability of the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor now being pursued by utilities in Georgia and South Carolina: http://markey.house.gov/docs/3-11-11_nrc_japan_letter.pdf

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) website, with occasional updates: http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/index-e.html

Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization’s “Operational Status of Nuclear Facilities In Japan,” 2010: http://www.jnes.go.jp/english/activity/unkan/e-unkanhp2/e-unkanhp2-2010/book1/book.pdf